


Dissonant Cadenzas

by stipulativeTzigane



Category: Dungeons and Daddies (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood and Gore, Canon Death, Car Accidents, Character Death, Child Injury, Cigarettes, F/M, Gen, Grief, Heavy Angst, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Intrusive Thoughts, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Paranoia, Suicidal Thoughts, Two universes at once, pov glenn close, pov morgan freeman, similar stories - Different AUs, spoilers for episode:28, tags will change, tobacco products
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:00:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27203503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stipulativeTzigane/pseuds/stipulativeTzigane
Summary: The story of how Glenn survived lossing his wife.---A story of how Morgan survived lossing her husband.
Relationships: Glenn Close/Morgan Freeman (Dungeons and Daddies), Morgan Freeman & Original Female Character(s) (dungeons and Daddies)
Kudos: 7





	1. the crash

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 11/5/2020
> 
> I just restructured this. before I had 4 short chapters with a scene from each AU. that's how I write it
> 
> Now I'm going to publish longer chapters with more back and forth between the universes. this is closer to how I like to read.
> 
> Each chapter will be updated several times before being actually completed, that way I'll have more momentum to write/post.

**Glenn** :

  
  


Glenn's knuckles were bone white, against the steering wheel of the band's van. He easily maneuvered the large vehicle into a parking spot near the ER entrance. panic flailed in his chest as he ran into the hospital.

"I'm Glenn Close, you called about and Morgan Freeman and Nick Clo-" 

"Yes, Mr. Close, I just need some ID to verify it's you.” Glenn dug into the pockets of his Harley Davidson jacket. eventually finding his driver's license, and passed it to the nurse behind the counter. He passed back a clipboard.

“Okay, Mr Close I just need you to fill these out for your family members. I can tell you that Nick is stable, but under concussion protocol. And Mrs. Freeman is in the ICU. Once the forms are filled out you can go and see Nick, okay.”

“What about Morgan.” the Nurse pressed his lips into a thin line. 

“Mrs. Freeman is not in any condition to have visitors. Once she is in a stable condition, and you have her forms filled out, you will be able to go see her.”

“What do you mean she's not in ‘condition’ for visitors? is she okay?”

“Mr Close, she was in a very serious car accent, and sustained massive trauma to her chest and head, the doctors are doing everything they can to help her.”

“But she's going to be okay, right.” Glenn didn't ask, just a statement waiting for a confirmation.

“Sir. please fill out the paperwork, someone will let you know when she’s stable, okay.” that wasn't a question either but an audible period.

  
  


**Morgan** :

  
  


Morgan held the ‘emergency’ binder tightly to her chest. her eyes squeezed shut as the car made a turn into the hospital parking lot. 

“I'm gonna drop you off by the door, and park okay?” She looked over to Steph. her best friend and fellow ‘band bride’ even at 6 months pregnant she was still the sweetest person Morgan new. 

“Thanks.” Morgan thought that her voice didn't sound like her, but that of a lost child. She stepped out of the car, the red glowing Emergency sign loomed over her.

“Hello, why have you come to the ER today?” The Man behind the counter was curt, but polite. 

“I got a call, from, uh...” Morgan Shut her eyes again. focusing on what the woman on the phone had said. “Nurse Bethany Ratlar, that my husband and son, Glenn and Nick Close were brought here after a car accent. and I should come as quickly as possible.” She opened her eyes again, the man was gathering papers, onto a clipboard for her. 

“Okay Mrs. Close, I just need some ID- '' Morgan pulled her driver's license out of its pocket in her black leather purse.

“It’s Mrs. Freeman.” It was such a common mistake she barely even noticed making the correction. 

“Okay, Mrs. Freeman, I just need you to fill these out and sit down.” Morgan took a step back, adding the clipboard into the pile with her emergency binder and bag. 

“Wait.” The man looked back up at her with the slightest bit of annoyance. “Can you tell me if they're okay?” part of her almost didn't want to know the answer. 

“I can tell you that Nick is stable, but under concussion protocol. And Mr. Close is in the ICU. Once the forms are filled out you can go and see Nick, okay.” Tears were biting at the back of her throat, but she managed a nod before finding a seat.

  
  


**Glenn** : 

  
  


Glenn couldn't sit still, the paperwork had been a nightmare. He couldn't remember most of the answers, what kind of person had their spouse’s social security number memorized? 

Anyway, now that the forms were filled out, all there was to do was worry. not that he hadn't been trying to find some sort of distraction. but there's only so many home improvement shows and celebrity gossip magazines one man could take when important things were supposed to be happening. Smoking was out of the question at this point, he had already had two cigarettes, and the nurse got upset at him when he asked if there was any news after coming back inside. 

So now he was just supposed to stay here and wait until ‘someone’ wasn't ‘too busy’ so they could escort him. which for the record was a bunch of bullshit. 

Of course, there were people who weren't actually busy. He’d seen ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ he knew that at least a third of the people in this building were currently fucking in a storage closet. And besides the point why did he, a grown-ass man, have to be escorted to his own son? He knew how room numbers and elevators worked. They just didn't want him snooping around, turning the wrong corner to see... well he wasn't sure but probably something dastardly.

He was just about to go give that male nurse a piece of his mind when his name was called,

“Glenn Close.”

  
  


**Morgan** :

  
  


Morgan leaned her head on Steph’s shoulder, still clinging to the ‘emergency' binder. Bringing it had been overkill. She had known most of what had been on the paperwork, and they would have survived without Glenn and Nick’s Social security numbers. Now all she could do was worry. 

“Hey, Morgs, it's going to be okay.” Steph put a hand over hers. 

“but what if it’s not?” Her voice was so quiet she was surprised that her friend could hear it at all.

“First of all, I don't like you thinkin' like that. Second, you are the strongest, smartest, baddest bitch I know. No matter what happens today you will get through this. okay?” Morgan nodded.

“Thanks, Steph.'' Steph squeezed her hand and Morgan thanked the universe for the millionth time that they had been assigned to the same homeroom freshman year. “I really need a smoke, but I'm scared to leave.”

“Don't be, my legs have gone asleep. if you help me up, I'll go stand by the door; if they call for you I'll let you know.'' Morgan pulled her friend up from the uncomfortable chair and the two of them were almost to the door when a woman in balloon printed scrubs called her name.

“Morgan Freeman”

  
  


**Glenn** :

  
  


Glenn woke up tired, the pleather chair in the corner of the room seemed to be designed to be just comfortable enough for the truly exhausted to sleep. 

He looked back to the small hospital bed. Nick was still sleeping. The doctors had insisted that the five-year-old was fine. But the bandages still made Glenn feel queasy. especially the one on his head. Apparently, he had to get a couple stitches just above his ear. That felt wrong. Nick was so young, so new. Before this, the worst thing that ever happened to the boy was when he shut his finger in the silverware drawer. Glenn had wanted to keep Nick away from real pain for longer than this.

He moved to the door, there was a bathroom and a vending machine just down the hall. He had found them late last night when he was too nervous to sleep. 

When Glenn returned to the room, the door was cracked open. He couldn't remember if he had left it like that or not. But the doctor and nurse waiting for him just inside the room answered his question. 

“Hello, Mr. Close.” Glenn was hit again by how much he hated hospitals. everything in them seemed designed to make him anxious. if it wasn't the lighting or the antiseptic or the overall depression that hung over the whole thing. It was a stuffy doctor that insisted on calling him by his father’s name. 

“yes?” Glenn looked over the ‘professional's’ shoulder to see Nick still asleep, breathing easily. 

“would you like to sit down?” Glenn did not.

“What's wrong?” he looked into the two faces, the doctor's eyes were compassionate, but the nurse had pity written into the lines of her face. It made Glenn’s blood run cold. 

“Your wife, Morgan Freeman, has died.” the words registered in his mind but the concept was absurd. 

“No.” 

“Mr. Close, I know news like this can be difficult to pro-”

“No, you’re wrong.” Glenn moved back to his chair grabbing up his jacket, he really needed a cigarette. 

“I'm sorry for your loss, but I can assure you that Mrs. Freeman is dead. we did everything we could-”

“it's a common name. you have the wrong people.” Glenn could feel panic icing its way through his chest.

“no, Mr. Close we’re talking about Morgan Pearle Freeman, she came in after a car accident-”

“no, it’s... it’s no, It can't be She... I” His thoughts weren't working right, the panic was coursing through him now. the cold shutting down his normal functions. He barely felt it when the doctor put a hand on his shoulder 

“you can go see her if you want, I have to warn you she’s-” 

“No, no. no...” his body was moving without his input, he was back in the hall, moving towards the stairwell. Someone was yelling at him, but they were too far behind to stop him. There was an orange line along the wall that was labeled ICU, and while he was jumping down the stairs. He realized that's where he was going. Pain sounded off in his ankle as he landed but he couldn't stop. Morgan was somewhere there, and if the doctors weren't going to do their job keeping her alive, he was going to have to persuade them. The illuminated sign for the ICU flashed by him the traction on his shoes gave way and he skitted past the large doorway.

“Morgan!” Everything sounded so distant. like he was underwater, this was a busier part of the hospital. people were bustling from room to room, voices, calling out between doors. “Morgan!” people were looking now. Not all of them though, Glenn caught a glimpse of someone pressing up and down on a chest, straddling a body as the stretcher moved down the hallway. “Morgan!” he turned a corner, people were approaching him, talking. He wasn't listening, couldn't listen. Glenn was too fixated on the locks of artificially red hair hanging off the edge of a collapsible bed in the hallway. “morgan.” he moved past the people, and pulled back the sheet.

Blood. Blood and bone. And empty vacant eyes; still the hazel brown but somehow darker. It was like a sick joke of what she should look like. She wasn't sleeping, sleeping knew nothing of the slack jaw, dislocated weight of this. Glenn reached out, unable to look away. He had expected her hand to be thin, and waxy like his grandmothers in her casket, but it felt just like a hand, the same hand that just this morning had brushed hair behind his ear. It was still warm, not truly, but a lingering warmth like coffee left out too long. He dropped the hand, terror moving him backward away from... this. Grief tightened through his chest as he realized this was not Morgan, not anymore. 

  
  


**Morgan** :

  
  


She had told Steph to go home. It had gotten late, and there wasn't much to do but wait now. Maybe try to sleep in this uncomfortable pleather chair. Hope that Nick’s headache would be gone by the morning. He had hit his head pretty bad, there were stitches above his ear. five little sutures less than an inch from his temple. The doctor had said, if he was older they would have sent him home already, but they wanted to make sure he didn't have a concussion. 

Then there was Glenn, no new information there, not for hours now. The car had been hit from his side, last time they updated her he had still been in the Intensive Care Unit. She couldn't shake the sense they weren't telling her everything. she didn't think it was out of malice. Maybe they wanted to keep her from how bad it was. maybe it was hard to explain without a Ph.D. maybe he was so bad no one had time to make a list of problems. All she knew was he was seriously hurt. She wished she had pushed harder for an answer. Not knowing was killing her. 

It was almost three when a Doctor came in again. After four hours of silence, she would not miss her opportunity this time. 

“How is Glenn.” The Doctor was taken aback, and she noticed he was trailed by a nurse, the rest of the updates had just one person. 

“Mrs. Freeman, we have some news,” Morgan felt a flush of terror as the Doctor sat in an uncomfortable wooden chair. this is not how the other check-in had gone at all.

“Your husband, Glenn Close, has died” she didn't feel anything. She felt less than nothing, she felt an endless void as all the worry she had spent on Glenn all night just left her. Something in the back of her mind played the video of Jackie Kennedy reaching across the trunk and trying to replace a chunk of skull. Just illogical instinct overriding terror, before the grief sets in. She noticed the doctors’ lips moving, they were chapped. There were deep laugh lines that moved with his mouth. The only thing darker on his face were the circles under her eyes. She wondered how much sleep she would get if she had to tell people she'd let their husbands die. She didn't think it was much. the doctor put a hand on her shoulder. 

“Glenn’s Dead?” The doctor nodded. “But he was just...” she looked over to the nurse, standing just behind the doctor's chair, holding green folders, the tab read “Close, Glennjamin,” in a tidy printed font. 

“I'm, sorry for your loss.” the woman really did sound sorry. Morgan looked over to Nick.

“What do I do n-” something cold hit her hand. she stared in vague fascination at the drop of water that had landed on her wrist. She must be crying. She reached up to check and noticed her hand was trembling. The beginning of a sob burned in the back of her throat. 

“We have some resources printed out here, along with the death certificate.” the nurse held out the file-folder and Morgan tried to reach for it but sobs started rolling through her. she covered her face as she crumpled in on herself. embarrassment folding itself into a storm of emotions swelling inside her. As the initial realization caught up with her. Glenn was Dead. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated (this is a threat)


	2. the ride home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> forward slashes ( / ) have been used in place for hiccups in some of the dialog.  
> 

**Glenn** :

  
  


Corry answered the call just before the machine picked up.

"Hey, Glenn what's-" Glenn couldn't speak, between the running and the sobbing and the hiccups he was having trouble breathing, let alone talking. "Glenn? What's wrong?" Corry sounded genuinely scared. Glenn focused on the stitching in the van's steering wheel and he tried to find some sort of rhythm to his breathing. "Glenn if this is a hostage situation I want you to knock twice." He almost had a handle on his breathing, he swallowed air. 

"It's/" he hiccuped. The sobbing returned and he needed a moment to recollect himself. "I'm.../ She..." Glenn didn't actually know what to say. He couldn't form the words to express why he needed help. 

"Okay, Glenn, listen." He shut his eyes, relieved for a bit of help. "What did you take?" Glenn shook his head, and after he realized Corry couldn't see him he managed a small.

"No." In-between hiccups

"Okay, okay you don't have to tell me. Do you know where you are?"

"The/ the hospital" his voice wavered back into sobs at the end. 

"Shit Glenn, are you okay?"

"No" it was a wail. 

"Shit dude, what did you hurt? Is it bad? Does Morgan know?" He was back to inconsolable gasping after that. He collapsed over the wheel, letting the phone drop from his ear. The Drummer's voice was still coming through the shitty speakers. 

He couldn't do this, he couldn't survive this. He wasn't sure he wanted to. His stomach heaved at the sustained uneven breathing. Dying of asphyxiation, here in a van outside of a hospital wasn’t how he expected to go. But maybe it was for the best. It was a good run, sold out a couple of venues, had some pretty great sex, even managed to make a good kid. 

His phone was beeping as well now. He picked it back up to his ear. 

"-nn Glenn please, come on man, say some-" three sharp beeps interrupted Corry. 

"I'm, I'm sorry// I can't // i / i....” there were more beeps. and Corry’s voice was back.

“Glenn, I'm on my way, just... I don't know... hold on 'till I get there. you're at Brooks, right? here in town.” Beep Beep Beep. “fuck man, I'll be there, I’m... just, just hold on okay?” 

  
  


**Morgan** :

  
  


“Morgan, Honey I’m here, what’s happening.” Steph’s voice was groggy through the cell phone. 

“I need you to come pick us up.” Morgan ran her fingers through Nick's soft baby curls. He was awake but the quiet sleep toddler awake, that made him insist on being held. Fine by Morgan, she insisted on holding him. 

“Okay, I'll be there in a bit. Do we need the van? I know Glenn can get a little unstrung on pain meds.” Morgan pressed her nose into Nick's hair and fought back tears. She couldn't go back to uncontrolled crying, not yet. They had to get Nick home first. 

“Morgs?” 

“I'm here.” she was going to have to say it again. It didn't feel like she would ever be able to say those words without it tearing a new hole in her chest. She focused on Nick's warmth in her arms. 

“Morgs...” the softness in Steph’s voice almost broke her. “morgan, is... who am I picking up?” she didn't want to answer.

Nick’s hair smelled like SpongeBob shampoo and iodine. She squeezed her eyes shut. “Morgan, Morgan, what happened?” Steph’s voice was almost panicked now. Morgan couldn't hold back her shaky breaths. 

Nick’s little fingers gripped at the collar of her shirt, his hands so strong, so soft. she could hear Steph move through her apartment on the other side of the phone. The shuffled haste of someone pulling a jacket over pajamas. Morgan shut her eyes and said it.

“Glenn’s Dead.”

  
  


**Glenn** :

  
  


Corry opened the door to the van, and Glenn almost fell out. 

“Woah there,” Corry heaved Glenn’s sobbing form back into the driver’s seat. “fuck man, what did you get into?” Glenn gripped at the other man. absorbing the catharsis of close friends. “what happened, Glenn? do you need help checking in?” 

Glenn’s phone rang and Corry managed to scoop it up from the floorboards of the van. 

“Sorry, he’s going to have to call you back.” Glenn couldn’t hear the voice in the phone, he wasn't really listening anyway. “oh shit, What happened with Nick...I mean I've got his dad here, but he's... not in the best shape. can I come get him myself?” Corry separated himself from his sobbing bandmate. “I mean if you need a parent, there's his mom, I can give you her number if...” Glenn watched as Corry’s face ran from shock, to sorrow. He couldn't bear any more than that. He covered his face with his arms. “oh fuck,” Glenn wished he had covered his ears too. “are... are you sure, there's more than one Morgan Free-” Glenn wondered how much more crying it would take to pass out from exhaustion. “oh, okay... I mean... fuck... I think I can get him.... like we're right outside the ER. he’s in a pretty bad way right now... I think I can get him inside to...'' there was a shakiness to Corry's voice that tore into Glenn’s chest. “just give us a minute this... this is a lot okay? okay.” 

  
  


**Morgan** :

  
  


Steph crushed her in a hug when they arrived. Tom joined in once he crossed over from the car’s driver side. Morgan let herself soften in the security of her friends. 

“let's get you home.” Steph helped them into the back seat of the car. taking the binder and papers from her and strapping Nick into the center seat. 

“there’s no booster.” Morgan felt a fresh panic rise in her, her eyes locked onto the bandage on the side of Nick's head. 

“I'll be extra careful.'' Tom's voice was still hoarse from tears. Steph put a hand on his shoulder. before turning to check on the back seat. 

Nick still wanted to hold close to her, but the exhaustion was starting to get to him, he was getting frustrated and started crying once the engine started up. Morgan held him to her side as they drove.

**Glenn** :

  
  


Glenn carried Nick out to the Van. the boy clung to him, he must be so tired. it was a comfort. The steady warmth of his little body. The love Glenn felt stood as a stark contrast to the loss, but he welcomed it anyway. The engine started. 

Nick shrieked, burying his head deeper into Glen's chest. Raising a little hand to his ear Glenn held him closer, wrapping his arms fully around his son. but Nick was inconsolable. Crying out toddler nonsense and shaking violently. 

Glenn didn't know what to do with himself. He felt crushed by grief, battered, and torn. surely this was the end, no one had ever made it out past this sinking darkness in his chest. There was nothing but an endless aching sorrow. There was no fixing this.

Whatever brave face he had managed in the hospital was leaving him. sobs were rolling through his body again. He pressed his face into Nick’s hair and whispered 'I love you's' against his scalp.

  
  


**Morgan** :

  
  


It was the worst car ride of Morgan's life, and Nick’s second-worst. His terror rang through the car, endless uncontrollable wails. And the way he held on to her, like letting go would mean imminent death. 

Tom had to stop, pulling over to the edge of the road just outside of the city. He stepped out and cried out into the pre-dawn desert sky. Morgan unbuckled Nick and held him to her chest, desperate to calm him down. 

“Anything I can do?” Steph’s cheeks were wet. 

“He’s tired, I’m... I just want to sleep.” Steph nodded and eased herself up and out of the passenger seat. 

She got into the driver’s side when she and Tom came back to the car. Morgan didn't buckle nick. She couldn't imagine anywhere safer than her arms.

**Glenn:**

Glenn left the car as soon as it stopped. Still holding Nick to his chest, he unlocked his front door. He laid down in Nick’s bed, curling into the small space around the boy. Glenn felt scrubbed raw, and empty, like the crying, had turned him inside out. A muted concern echoed through him as Nick’s breathing slowed as he fell asleep. Corry came to the door, face splotched pink.

“I’m gonna call Tom, he and Steph should know” Glenn just nodded. his hand monitoring the rise and fall of Nick’s chest.

Glenn closed his eyes. Wanting so badly for the softness of the plush bedding and warmth of his toddler to lull him into unconsciousness. But he couldn't even manage that. His head kept replaying the last 24 hours. Everything that had gone wrong. Everything that he had done wrong. And there was nothing for it, he wasn't crying anymore, just prodding at the big emptiness in his chest.

He unraveled himself from the tiny bed as the sun came up. He followed hushed voices to the dining table. All three of them went quiet when he appeared from the hall. He stood in the doorway. Steph was up first.

“Oh, Glenn,” She wrapped him in a warm hug and cried into his shirt. Then his bandmates were there, he was surrounded by love and support. Glenn wanted to crumble into it, he wanted to hold this warmth close to him until he melted back into life. But he couldn't. He wasn't frozen, He was empty.

  
  


**Morgan:**

Tom helped them out of the car. Nick still fussed to be in her arms. Morgan was in no position to refuse. She carried him to the front door with her friends trailing behind. Steph set the paperwork on the kitchen counter.

“I'll call Corry,” Tom said, shutting the wood door. Morgan nodded.

“I should-” She began, but Steph shook her head.

“There's nothing you need to do, honey, get your rest. we’ll be here... if you need us.”

“Thank you.” she was crying again, softly this time. The warmth of kindness seeping into the ache of loss.

Morgan went to the bedroom, its familiarity was bizarre. She moved delicately around the shared mess that had been cultivated in this space. All too aware that everything from this point on would be her mess, and hers alone.

The bed was the epitome of home, and she returned to it, with all the exhaust and surrender of an 8-month tour. In the swaddling of down and pillowtop, she softly rocked Nick and hummed until he fell asleep against her.

In the morning dim from the drawn curtains, and the rich smell of her husband’s hair products clinging to the sheets, she could almost forget the events of last night, and that's what she endeavored to do as she drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated (this is a threat)


End file.
